Introduction: The Avatars of Vishnu

    An  Avatar, in Hinduism,  is when a higher being descends to Earth in a lesser form.    These gods are not restricted to taking the form of humans.  A god may take any shape or form they please.  In this class we have been introduced to Rama and Krishna in the epics "The Ramayana" and "The Mahabharata."  Because we have worked so closely with two of the Avatars of Vishnu in this class - Rama is the seventh and Krishna is the eighth - I wanted to look into some of his other forms.  I thought it would be interesting to follow a progression from the beginning toward the end; in effect,  these stories are going to focus on the first, fourth, sixth, and ninth Avatar forms of Vishnu.   In total, Lord Vishnu has taken only nine forms thus far.  We are still waiting for his tenth Avatar form, known as Kalki, to make an appearance. 
    I have chosen  four different Hindu gods to tell the stories of Vishnu's Avatars.  I have always found the stories surrounding these gods fascinating but I have never taken the time to learn more about them.  This storybook provided the perfect opportunity for me to do so.  These beings are not locked in vacuums that separate them from the other gods; their interactions with each other provide a great source for storytelling!  These interactions are just as rich as the stories between the gods and humans. 

Brahma Tells the Story of Matsya

 
      It seems as though every religion has a flood story.   Hinduism is no different.  Matsya, the first Avatar form of Vishnu,  was sent to warn a  Noah-like character of an impending flood.  The story of Vishnu's first Avatar has so many similarities to the  flood story of the bible.  While doing research for this story, I was surprised to find that Vishnu did not always take a human form.  In fact, Matsya takes the form of a fish!  Because of the similarities I see between this story and Christianity, I feel that it is only fitting that the creator god, Brahma, is responsible for telling this Avatar's story.  When I think of this god, I can't help but compare him to the Christian God; I think this is because of his role as the creator.     



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Indra Tells Narasimha's Story


    The story of Vishnu's fourth Avatar state, Narasimha, is one of my favorites.  Hiranyakasipu, a demon, despises Vishnu - Vishnu had killed his brother in a previous incarnation.  Unfortunately for Hiranyakasipu, his son Prahlada is a devout follower of Vishnu.  This drives his father absolutely crazy!  Hiranyakasipu decides that his son can no longer go on living if he is not filling to forego his faith in Vishnu.  Of course, Vishnu sees the devotion of Prahlada and decides to intervene on his behalf. 
    This story is going to be told from the god Indra's perspective.  Throughout the course, Indra has been one of my favorite Hindu deities.  He seems to be involved - however, remotely - in everything.  Indra is the god of war and storms.  Because Narasimha's story centers on delivering justice, I felt that Indra, being the god of war, was the right god to tell his story.


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Ganesha Tells the Tale of Gautama Buddha

     
There is a great deal of overlap between Hinduism and Buddhism; Buddhism spread out of India, though there are not many practicing Buddhists who remain there.  Buddha, whose birthname wasSiddhartha Gautama, is, in fact, the ninth Avatar of Vishnu according to Hindu tradition.  This is the last physical form that Lord Vishnu has taken; we are still awaiting the arrival of the tenth Avatar.  I have chosen this story, in particular, because I find it extremely fascinating that this individual is important to both Buddhists and Hindus; it doesn't hurt that I find Gautama Buddha's love of peace relaxing and reassuring.  In addition, I love that it is possible for two different religions to share important figures.
    I have chosen Ganesha, the god depicted with the head of an elephant, to tell the story of Gautama Buddha.  The attributes of the god Ganesha are quite beautiful.  He removes obstacles, he is regarded as the patron of the arts and sciences, and he is the god of wisdom and intellect.  Because of these attributes, I feel that Ganesha is the perfect narrator of Gautama Buddha's story. 
    To make matters more interesting, one of the depictions of how Ganesha came to have the head of an elephant ties him to Lord Vishnu.  Ganesha is the child of the god Shiva and Parvati.  At his birth, the god Shani, unfortunately, got a little crazy.  A chance glance cast at the infant from Shani caused the infant's head to catch fire.  All that remained of Ganesha's head were ashes.  As I'm sure you can imagine, the parents of this poor baby were horrified!  Lord Vishnu came to the rescue and gave the baby the head of an elephant. 



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Cover Page

The Story of Matsya

Indra Tells Narasimha's Story

The Tale of Gautama Buddha



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1) Brahma, at David James Cottrell Newsletter
2) Matsya, at Tribe (2008)
3) Indra, 14th century, at IGNCA
4)Narasimha, at Sri Laxmi NarismhaTemple Savanadurga

5)  Ganesha, at Shri Ganesha
6) Gautama Buddha, at Vishnu: Spirtual Healing